1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thermoplastic film bags, and more particularly, thermoplastic film bags that are foldable and non-permanently and non-destructively held in a folded position. It further relates to a method of packaging articles in such a manner that waste is virtually eliminated.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Bags that are foldable to vary their size are known in the art. Such bags have been used to hold fruit and personal articles. One such bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,470 to Wuest. The Wuest device is a combination hand bag and basket made of a material capable of folding. The body of the hand bag can be collapsed or expanded to form a hand bag of varying sizes, or be collapsed or expanded to provide a receptacle in basket form in varying sizes. The basket in each instance includes a handle and flap.
A combined fruit picking sack and measure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 790,194 to Douglass et al., which relates to an improvement in receptacles for gathering or picking fruit or the like. The apparatus includes a bag having a plurality of hooks, and a stiffening member extending transversely across the lower end of the bag.
A folding bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 932,721 to Rueter which includes a bag which may be used as an ordinary lady's handbag and may be extended so as to form a shopping bag. The folding bag consists of an ordinary bag frame, having a sack-like receptacle, made of leather or of any other suitable fabric, and a size adapted to receive a large quantity of articles to be carried along.
Thermoplastic film bags are commonly used as trash bags or food bags and are stored ready for use in, for example, a cardboard container. The container is discarded when the last thermoplastic film bag is used. Thus, the container contributes as a source of waste.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermoplastic film package that substantially reduces waste product.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermoplastic film package that is formed from a single thermoplastic film bag.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a thermoplastic film package having at least one pouch for holding at least one thermoplastic film bag.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a thermoplastic film package that is non-permanently and non-destructively held together such that the thermoplastic film package is not damaged when unfolded.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a thermoplastic film package that is usable as a thermoplastic film bag.